My Movie new-year Resolution

I know it isn't new year yet, gimmie a break!

I love movies but in the sort of way Proper Fans would be sneery about, and hence to change that pronto I've made a list! Not just any list, a list of the directors in Empire's top 20 directors list which I have yet to see a film of. This list is circa the beginning of the year, just so I can tick a few more off...

2. Alfred Hitchcock
Dude, it's Hitchcock.
You know how I feel about Vertigo, right?

4. Stanley Kubrick
This isn't quite fair - I've seen Spartacus and half of Dr Strangelove, but Empire says Spartacus doesn't really count. I'm gonna try and see the rest of Dsohiswaltltb (sorry, I just wanted to see it abbreviated...) seeing as the first half was great. The speech about bodily fluids is one of the most amusing things I've ever seen.
Well I've now seen Barry Lyndon, but does that count? I know Spartacus and Paths of Glory get vocally dismissed, but Barry Lyndon is never mentioned at all. Still, it's a very good film regardless - a tad souless perhaps, but very pwetty. Mind you, you'd have to be a bit of a pillock for it not to be beautiful what with those lovely locations and costumes.

6. Akira Kurosawa
Wanna see Seven Samuri cos I know I'll like it as I've already seen it. How, you may well ask?Well there's Maginificent Seven, the new King Arthur which I have on DVD, the Battle of Helm's Deep in Two Towers...
Er...ok, I've seen it now and while there was nothing wrong with it, it really didn't do anything for me. Bounced straight off. I wasn't engaged, excited, thrilled or even interested. I don't like disliking the classics, you understand. Makes me feel very left out.

8. Quentin Tarantino
Ah yes, the only director to which Empire has given the honour of abbreviation...Hmmm, well as you know I'm going through a bit of a phase, and I am working on my parents. And have I mentioned Reservoir Dogs is only £7 in Woolworths at the moment? Though it will be a pity to relinquish the title of "Biggest Tarantino Fan Who Hasn't Actually Seen A Tarantino Film"(three words: Empire issue 173 - he speaks some serious truth in his interview)
Farewell, title! Hello long, long lonely hours of discussion and quoting between me and myself and a mounting list of comments to make to anyone who cares.

9. Orson Welles
To be fair I have seen Citizen Kane. I was 6 at the time. I remember the end. And that irritates me no end. Still, I've got to see it.

10. Woody Allen
I've been wanting to see Melinda and Melinda ever since it came out, but that doesn't count, does it? You want me to see Manhattan, don't you? Well ok then...that's what I'll do...

15. Francis Ford Coppola
He made the Godfather, you know...
...and wasn't it great! And now there's a copy of Apocalypse Now at the other side of the room, tormenting me...

17. Sergio Leone
I've seen bits of one of them, tG,tB+tU I think...a long time ago...
Now seen Once Upon a Time in the West (what does this chap have with short titles?) and I love it to bits!

18. John Ford
Yay, more westerns!

19. Billy Wilder
No thoughts whatsoever here.
Seen Some Like it Hot now. Very good - ace lines abound (the last five minutes had me in perfect stitches), and I can see why he managed to work with Marilyn Monroe a second time - she is just 100% pure class.

20. Sam Peckinpah
the funniest Monty Python sketch of all time. Hmmm, well I may be alone in this, but the one which made me laugh most (and I don't just mean laugh, I mean hoot and giggle and stop breathing) was "Sam Peckinpah's Salad Days", a short spoof movie clip all about a luncheon party...I can't believe it could have been any funnier even if I had known who Sam Peckinpah was at the time!

Update! Update! Look what me find! Forgive the Polish overdub, it really is very funny. And some nice person at the Filmwise board recommends Pulp Fiction and Goodfellas as an excellent way to scrub two off the list. Thanks, Batman, my parents will be thrilled...no seriously, thanks.


We've got Seven Year Itch and Wild Bunch recorded at the moment, so hopefully I can cross some more off soon. Until then, meet my spiritual cinematic ally!

http://cinemawrite.blogspot.com/